Pavelski scores hat-trick in Sharks win

TOP SHOTS:：A number of players had very good games after attending the Winter Olympics, but Joe Pavelski stood out as he scored three goals against the Flyers

AP, PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania

Sat, Mar 01, 2014 - Page 19

Joe Pavelski had a hat-trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals as the San Jose Sharks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3 on Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break.

Raffi Torres and Logan Couture each scored twice in their return to the San Jose lineup following injuries.

Pavelski, one of four Sharks Olympians, scored all three of his goals in a dominating second period when San Jose outscored the Flyers 5-0.

Torres, who was making his 2013-2014 debut after injuring his knee in the preseason, capped the second-period barrage with his second tally of the game with 2.2 seconds left. Couture, who missed the previous 16 games due to hand surgery, netted his 15th goal of the season in the period.

Andrej Meszaros had a highlight-reel tally, while Matt Read and Brayden Schenn also scored for the Flyers, who had won four straight prior to taking a 19-day break for the Olympics.

RED WINGS 6, SENATORS 1

In Ottawa, Ontario, Johan Franzen scored three goals to lead Detroit past Ottawa.

Riley Sheahan, Tomas Jurco and Tomas Tatar also scored, and Jonas Gustavsson stopped 37 shots for the Red Wings (28-20-12), who have a five-point lead over the Senators (26-23-11) for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Bobby Ryan scored for the Senators, who were playing their first game since the Olympic break. Robin Lehner allowed six goals on 15 shots before Andrew Hammond made his NHL debut, stopping all nine shots he faced.

KINGS 2, FLAMES 0

In Calgary, Alberta, Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist, and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves as Los Angeles made it back-to-back wins with a victory over Calgary.

On a night when Calgary honored Canadian Olympians in a pregame ceremony, a pair of Team USA players were the big stars.

Quick was steady all night in earning his third shutout of the season and the 29th of his career. He was especially sharp through the opening 40 minutes as Calgary built a 23-13 edge in shots, but trailed 1-0.

After scoring the first goal three minutes into the game, Brown helped the Kings get an important insurance goal, setting up Dwight King in front of the net 3 minutes, 30 seconds into the third period.

RANGERS 2, BLACKHAWKS 1

In New York, Cam Talbot, subbing for resting Olympian Henrik Lundqvist, stopped 31 shots, and Derick Brassard and Rick Nash scored as New York returned from the Sochi break with a victory over Chicago.

Talbot got the nod after Lundqvist received extended work in Sweden’s run to the gold medal game in the Olympics. Talbot made the most of his opportunity, getting his 11th career win in 18 NHL games — all this season.

He was 11.6 seconds away from a shutout, but Peter Regin scored after goalie Corey Crawford was pulled. Patrick Kane nearly tied it seconds later, but Talbot stopped him with his pad.

New York have won six of seven. Lundqvist is expected to play today in Philadelphia when the Rangers start a back-to-back set.

CANADIENS 6, PENGUINS 5, SO

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, David Desharnais scored the lone goal in the shootout, leading Montreal to victory over Pittsburgh.

Desharnais, the third shooter for Montreal, slammed on the brakes at the top of the crease before sliding the puck by Marc-Andre Fleury.

Daniel Briere scored twice, once on the power play, and Max Pacioretty also scored with the man advantage, his 27th of the year. Brendan Gallagher netted his 15th for the Canadiens and Alexei Emelin also scored his second of the season.

Crosby, who leads the NHL with 80 points, scored his 29th and added an assist.

James Neal, Deryk Engelland, Olli Maatta and Brandon Sutter also scored for the Penguins.

Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler scored in regulation for the Jets, who continued their winning ways under new head coach Paul Maurice. The Jets are 10-3-1 since Maurice replaced the fired Claude Noel.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Martin Hanzal scored for Phoenix in the first game for both teams after a 19-day break for the Winter Olympics.

Jets forward Devin Setoguchi also beat Mike Smith in the shootout and Antoine Vermette was the only Coyotes player to get one past Ondrej Pavelec in four rounds of penalty shots.

Winnipeg pulled within one point of the Coyotes as both teams chase a wild-card playoff spot, although Phoenix have two games in hand.

ISLANDERS 5, MAPLE LEAFS 4, OT

In Uniondale, New York, Lubomir Visnovsky scored 1:55 into overtime and New York outlasted Toronto in a wild game.

Visnovsky’s winner came after Anders Lee scored two tying goals for the Islanders in a seesaw third period in which the teams combined for five goals in a nine-minute span.

Evgeni Nabokov made 18 saves for New York, who improved to 5-1-2 in their past eight games against Toronto.

Joffrey Lupul put Toronto ahead 4-3 with just over six minutes left in the third before Lee knotted the score at 17:20 with his second of the game. Lupul’s 18th of the season at 13:54 came just over a minute after Lee tied it at three with his first of the season.